This invention relates to a receptacle to be used for holding items to be chilled in an ice-filled cooler.
Coolers find widespread use as portable cooling devices and ordinarily include a compartment for carrying ice pieces or bits in some form, such as shaved ice, cubed ice, crushed ice, chipped ice, etc. Coolers are used primarily for food and drink items, but also find use for chilling medicine and medical supplies and for items used commercially and industrially.
A problem with use of coolers using ice bits for cooling is that when an item is withdrawn from the cooler, the void left behind is filled by the ice bits collapsing around the volume formerly occupied by the withdrawn item. If the item is to be reinserted into the cooler, then it may be difficult to move the ice pieces aside in a manner adequate to allow such reinsertion. At a minimum, it may require the user to place his or her hands into the ice, causing the user's hands to get both cold and wet.
Also, if the ice pieces are to be used in drinks or for some other purpose, insertion of the user's hands into the ice may introduce contaminants to the ice.
Further, in some applications, it may be desirable to keep the item to be chilled dry. This ordinarily requires the item to be separated from the ice, since ice in a cooler typically melts over time, causing there to be ice/water slurry in the cooler which could contact the item getting it wet.